Dell's Inspiron computer product line started as a range of laptop computers targeted at the entry-level, budget, a Mobile Celeron or Mobile Pentium II processor with SDRAM, and had a high starting price of $2,799. Now the Inspiron line mainly consists of mid-level computer systems.
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Released online December, 2010, the INSPIRON duo is Dell's 10" hybrid netbook/tablet. It has no optical drive.
[*]Battery life varies by configuration, operating conditions, and other factors. Maximum battery capacity decreases with time and use.
Released on Dell's website on February 26, 2009, the Inspiron Mini 10 is a 10.1 in (26 cm) netbook whose Mini 10v model weighs 1.13 kg (2.5 lb), and whose Mini 10 model weighs 1.18 kg (2.6 lb). The Mini 10 has an option for an external TV tuner and mobile broadband from AT&T. There is a 2 GB option available with Windows Vista Home Basic 32-bit.
| Component | Mini 10 (1010) | Mini 10 (1012) | Mini 10v (1011) | Mini 10 (1018) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Atom Z520 (1.33 GHz) Intel Atom Z530 (1.60 GHz) |
Intel Atom N450 (1.66 GHz) | Intel Atom N270 (1.60 GHz) Intel Atom N280 (1.66 GHz) |
Intel Atom N455 (1.66 GHz) |
| Memory | 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM |
1 GB DDR2 SDRAM 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM |
1 GB DDR2 SDRAM 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM |
1 GB DDR3 SDRAM |
| Chipset | Intel US15W Express Chipset | Intel NM10 Express Chipset | Intel 945GSE Express Chipset | |
| Graphics Processor | Integrated Intel GMA 500 graphics | Integrated Intel GMA 3150 graphics (Crystal HD Broadcom Media Accelerator optional) |
Integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics | Integrated Intel GMA 3150 graphics |
| Display Panel | 10.1 in (26 cm) LED-backlit display with 1024 × 600 resolution 10.1 in (26 cm) bright LED-backlit display with 1366 × 768 resolution and TrueLife Early models had 1024x576 resolution |
10.1 in (26 cm) LED-backlit display with 1024 × 600 resolution 10.1 in (26 cm) bright LED-backlit display with 1366 × 768 resolution and TrueLife |
10.1 in (26 cm) LED-backlit display with 1024 × 600 resolution Early models had 1024x576 resolution |
10.1 in (26 cm) LED-backlit display with 1024 × 600 resolution |
| Hard Drive | 160 GB SATA at 5400 RPM 32 GB SSD |
160 GB SATA at 5400 RPM 250 GB SATA at 5400 RPM |
160 GB SATA at 5400 RPM 16 GB SSD |
160 GB SATA at 5400 RPM 250 GB SATA at 5400 RPM |
| Optical Disc Drive | None. External drive available. | None. External drive available. | None. External drive available. | None. External drive available. |
| Battery | 3-cell (24 Whr) Lithium-ion battery 6-cell (56 Whr) Lithium-ion battery |
3-cell (24 Whr) Lithium-ion battery 6-cell (56 Whr) Lithium-ion battery Some batteries for this model had a capacity of 60 Whr |
3-cell (24 Whr) Lithium-ion battery 6-cell (56 Whr) Lithium-ion battery |
3-cell (24 Whr) Lithium-ion battery 6-cell (56 Whr) Lithium-ion battery |
| Wi-Fi Card | Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g Dell Wireless 1510 802.11a/b/g/n mini-card |
Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g | Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g Dell Wireless 1510 802.11a/b/g/n mini-card |
|
| Bluetooth | Internal Dell Wireless Bluetooth 365 (2.1 EDR) | Internal Dell Wireless Bluetooth 365 (2.1 EDR) | Internal Dell Wireless Bluetooth 365 (2.1 EDR) | Internal Dell Wireless Bluetooth 365 (2.1 EDR) |
| Ports and Slots | 1 Kensington lock slot 3 USB 2.0 Ports 1 Fast Ethernet port 1 HDMI output 1 headphone jack 1 microphone jack 1 3-in-1 memory card reader 1 power adapter connector |
1 Kensington lock slot 3 USB 2.0 Ports 1 Fast Ethernet port 1 VGA output 1 headphone jack 1 microphone jack 1 3-in-1 memory card reader 1 power adapter connector |
1 Kensington lock slot 3 USB 2.0 Ports 1 Fast Ethernet port 1 VGA output 1 headphone jack 1 microphone jack 1 3-in-1 memory card reader 1 power adapter connector |
|
| Camera | 1.3 MP webcam | 1.3 MP webcam | 1.3 MP webcam | 0.3 MP |
Released online August 5, 2010, the Inspiron M101z is Dell's 11.6" budget laptop that weighs 3.44 lbs. While Dell markets this as a small laptop, most competing 11.6" models are marketed as netbooks.
It features an HDMI output but lacks an optical drive.
Released online on August 18, 2009, the Inspiron 1110 is Dell's 11.6" budget laptop that weighs 3.05 lbs. While Dell markets this as a small laptop, most competing 11.6" models are marketed as netbooks.
It features an HDMI output but lacks an optical drive.
Features the new Intel Core 2 solo processor that can last up to 8 hours using an 8 cell battery. Also includes standard DVD drive and an option to upgrade up to NVIDIA 512 MB graphics card
Released online on June 25, 2009, the Inspiron 1440 is Dell's 14" budget laptop that weighs 4.96 lbs.
Released online on July 27, 2007, the Inspiron 1525 is Dell's 15.4" budget laptop that weighs 5.8 lbs.
Released online on January 16, 2009, the Inspiron 1545 is a 15.6" budget laptop that weighs 5.8 lbs. The Inspiron 1545 is the first laptop in Dell's Inspiron line to get Design Studio. website.[3]
Released online on September 8, 2009, the Inspiron 1570 is an 15.6" CULV variant of the Inspiron 1545 and weighs 5.1 lbs. The Inspiron 1570 includes an updated design, CULV processors, an HDMI output and DDR3 memory, but has the same starting price as the Studio 15.
Released online on July 16, 2009, the Inspiron 1750 is Dell's 17.3" budget laptop that weighs 6.8 lbs. The Inspiron 1750 has the same design as the Inspiron 1440, but is simply bigger and includes a numeric keypad. Unlike its predecessor, the Inspiron 1720, The Inspiron 1750 does not support two hard drives.
On June 26, 2007, Dell released the new Inspiron desktop series as a replacement to the Dell Dimension chain. The Inspiron marks Dell's return to a MicroATX case and motherboard with one exception: the I/O panel is not removable. As a result, motherboard upgrades are nearly impossible without modifying the case.
Launched online on November 12, 2009, the Inspiron 400, more commonly known as the Inspiron Zino HD is an Ultra Small Form Factor desktop like the Studio Hybrid. It is in an 8" by 8" form factor and has a similar form factor to the Mac Mini and computers made by Shuttle. There are several customer reports about devices tending to overheat and shutting down randomly.[4][5]
The Inspiron 537s is simply the slim version of the Inspiron 537 with similar features. It replaces the Inspiron 530s. The Inspiron 537s is limited to an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 whereas the Inspiron 537 can be customized with up to a Core 2 Quad Q9400. Because of its slim form factor, it only has one optical drive. The other hardware configuration options are identical to those of the Inspiron 537. The memory is only upgradeble to 4 GB.
The Inspiron 545 is a non-configurable mini-tower desktop that only retails at BestBuy and the Dell Outlet.
The Inspiron 545s is the slimmer version of the Inspiron 545. Like its mini-tower cousin, the Inspiron 545s is non-configurable and only retails at BestBuy and the Dell Outlet.
This model quietly went on sale on Dell's website and replaced the Inspiron 537. It features AMD processors.
Released on Dell's website on June 26, 2007, the Inspiron 1720/1721 was a 17" large-screen laptop that weighed 7.62 lb and was based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform. The Inspiron 1720/1721 had support for two hard drives and included a full numeric keypad. The Inspiron 1721 had a RAID 0 and RAID 1 options, which was oddly missing from the 1720. The Inspiron 1720/1721 was retired in 2008, with no direct 17" replacement until the introduction of the Inspiron 1750 on July 16, 2009.
The Dell Inspiron 9300 was a laptop that had either a 1.6, 1.73, 1.86, 2.0, 2.13 or 2.26 GHz Intel Pentium M processor and a 17" wide-screen (available in WXGA+ with a 1440 by 900 resolution and WUXGA with a 1920 by 1200 resolution). At the time, it also featured DDR2 memory, a new feature for laptops. Compared with the other Inspiron laptops, it is considered to be the "Entertainment Powerhouse".
The Inspiron 9300 was based loosely on its more expensive and more powerful big brother, the gaming-oriented Inspiron XPS Generation 2. With the right upgrades, the Inspiron 9300 can deliver most of the gaming power as the XPS Generation 2 at a much reduced cost. These upgrades start with the nVidia GeForce Go 6800 video card (or higher such as a GeForce 7800 GTX in later models), and continue with extra RAM, a 7200 RPM hard drive, and a Pentium M that is faster than the baseline 1.6 GHz speed.
The top-of-the line Inspiron models in 2006, the Inspiron E1705 and Inspiron 9400 (non-US models) are essentially the same laptop but with a few minor differences in configuration. The Inspiron 9400 was basically a more up-to-date, redesigned version of the Inspiron 9300 with a few extra added features such as the Dell MediaDirect button which was left of the LED indicator lights next to the power button.
The system had a starting price of $999, since it was meant to be used as a portable media center rather than a gaming laptop, and it was also using a new memory technology called DDR2. The Inspiron E1705 tends to run hot on its underside, which might be the reason the graphics processor on some units overheats and burns out within a year because of inadequate cooling. This problem can sometimes be resolved by re-heating the solder joints under the GPU with the use of a hot air gun. On most accounts of users who have experienced this problem, it occurred after the warranty expired.
Note that while this model only officially supports 2 x 1 GB dual channel DDR2 it is possible to use 2 x 2 GB for a total of 4 GB. However you'll be limited to 3.2 GB due to a large reserved address space for I/O allocated by the BIOS and this whatever the operating system in use (including 64-bit versions of MS Windows and Linux).
The Inspiron 1501 is a midsize, mainstream model with either a AMD Turion, AMD Sempron or AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor. This is Dell's first laptop to offer an AMD processor option.
Released on Dell's website on June 26, 2007, the Inspiron 1520/1521 was 15.4" mainstream laptop that weighed 6.40 lb. The Inspiron 1520 was based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform. It was replaced on January 11, 2008 by the Inspiron 1525 laptop, which was lighter, thinner, and featured a HDMI port, but no discrete graphics option.
Note: All of these upgrades were possible via parts found on eBay, all of these can be found by searching there and they will work. All SATA II (3.0 Gbps) Drives (SSD or HDDs) are backwards compatible with the Dell Inspiron 1520 SATA interface (1.5 Gbps) at no performance loss whatsoever. Mobile broadband is possible by purchasing the cards and installing the software which was originally intended for XPS-line but I have found that it is possible to use it on the Inspiron 1520. i tested the Verizon & Sprint cards, and they worked. For a full list and description, please check: Dell Inspiron 1520/1720: Viable After Market Upgrades.
Additional Note: I have heard that SSDs and Intel Turbo Memory are not compatible together, but I will look into this but I would recommend avoiding one or the other, especially if you are strapped for cash and want to make upgrades.
The Inspiron 1525 is a mid-sized (5.9 lb, 14.05" x 10.08" x 1.00"-1.48"), low-end replacement for the 1520. It has a 15.4" screen and features an HDMI connector. It was replaced on February 26, 2009 by the Inspiron 1545. It is also thinner and comes in a wider range of cover colors.
The base model was shipped in 1st quarter 2005 with a 1.5 GHz (upgradeable up to 2.13 GHz) Intel Pentium M processor or a 1.3 GHz (upgradeable up to 1.5 GHz) Intel Celeron M processor, 256 MB RAM (upgradeable to 2 GB), 400/533 MHz FSB, Intel 915GM/PM chipset, an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (with up to 128 MB shared memory), 40 GB Ultra ATA hard drive (upgradeable), and a 15.4-inch WXGA wide-screen monitor. Both the Celeron M and Pentium M processors can work on the Inspiron 6000, so an Inspiron with the 1.3 GHz Celeron M can upgrade all the way to the 2.13 GHz Pentium M instead of being limited to the 1.5 GHz Celeron M upgrade. Like the Inspiron 9300, it featured DDR2 RAM. In comparison with other Inspiron models, the 6000 was considered the "versatile and affordable" member of the Dell notebook line.
The higher-priced Inspiron 6000D provided a dedicated graphics chip, the ATI Mobility Radeon X300 64 MB PCI Express x16 (upgradeable to 128 MB), which ran at a core speed of 300 MHz and DDR memory speed of 216 MHz.
The Inspiron 6000 was among the first notebooks to arrive on the market with Intel's new Sonoma technology. According to Dell, the Inspiron 6000 would deliver faster data processing, and users - particularly gamers and graphics pros-would see less audio and video choppiness, quicker task execution, less power consumption, and enhanced battery life as a result. The Inspiron 6000 notebook added features and "help" files, making it easier and faster to operate.
In addition, the Inspiron 6000 offered a number of improvements over the Inspiron 5160 which it replaced in Dell's home/small business line-up. Upgraded features included a 15.4 in wide-screen display (available in WXGA with a 1280x800 resolution, WSXGA+ with a 1680x1050 resolution and WUXGA with a 1920x1200 resolution), a slightly slimmer profile (although 2.5 cm wider) and a Manufacturer's bundle- (starter) memory cards that accommodated only a handful of photos.
The Dell Inspiron 5150 was released on June 11, 2003 as a desktop replacement, weighing over 7.5 pounds. It was purported to be the high end version of inspiron 5100 and designed to support the Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor up to 3.2 GHz, a high performance mobile processor architecture at the time, that first supported Intel Hyper-threading technology. The hyper-threading features of the processor were available only if the system board came with supporting firmware. Hyper-threading support had to be chosen at time of purchase and could not be enabled later by BIOS upgrades even though the processor supported it. The wireless networking was based on a closed broadcom chipset BCM4306.
The laptop was infamous for a huge number of design failures, overheating, battery failures, connector loosening, motherboard failures. The owners of Dell Inspiron 5150 initiated a class action lawsuit on Dell resulting in Lundell Settlement. On December 4, 2006 the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted final approval to the settlement granting relief to the owners of Dell Inspiron 5150.
Inspiron 8600
(6.18 lb, 14" x 10.45" x 1.42"), mainstream models with an Intel Centrino or Core (Solo, Duo, or 2 Duo) at up to 2.16 GHz, 15.4" WXGA, WXGA+ or WSXGA+ display, SATA hard drive (up to 160 GB), and DDR2 SDRAM up to 2 (4 GB with new BIOS version (64 bit only)). Both models feature an integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, ATI Radeon X1300, ATI Radeon X1400, or NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300. Included are 7 multimedia buttons on the front. Offered with Ubuntu Linux, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, Windows XP Professional, or Windows Vista Business. May include Dell Media Direct. It was offered with optional Wireless N Intel OR Dell Wireless Mini-Lan Cards. It included a 53 WHr 6-Cell 4400 mAh Smart Lithium-Ion battery, the 85 WHr 9-Cell 6600 mAh Smart Lithium-Ion battery was included as an option which gave it 6 hours of general use with Wi-Fi.
Released on Dell's website on June 26, 2007, the Dell Inspiron 1420 is a 14.1-inch lightweight laptop that weighs 5.4 lbs and is based on the Santa Rosa platform. Unlike its larger counterparts, the Inspiron 1520 and 1720, the Inspiron 1420 did not have an AMD variant. The media keys were located on top of the keyboard instead of on the front of the laptop. The Inspiron 1420 was replaced by the Inspiron 1440 on June 25, 2009.
Inspiron 1420's purchased in the United States between May 2007 – September 30, 2008 that are suffering from a defective nVidia GeForce 8400M GS Graphics chip may be covered under The NVIDIA GPU Litigation.[8] Note that systems sold outside the United States were offered a 1 year limited warranty extension to any existing service warranty.
The Inspiron 14" notebook configurable with components similar to the E1505 (excluding the dedicated GPU options) but a bit smaller in total size. The E1405 at the time of release is known for its excellent battery life (which under optimum conditions exceeds five hours with a six-cell battery and well over eight hours with a slightly more expensive, optional nine-cell battery). The main attraction of this laptop is its price. For gamers, the E1405 comes standard with a Mobile Intel(R) 945GM Express Chipset Family, which in most cases will not be enough for most new high end games. Also, it is near impossible to add a new graphics card because this chipset is integrated, therefore you cannot add a new graphics card unless you get a new motherboard. Otherwise most other system specifications are rather basic, if you want serious media on the machine you will have to buy some things, the easiest (and most in-expensive) route is to buy system RAM for the computer. Dell claims that its maximum supported memory is 2 GB, however E1405's have been known to accept up to 4 GB of memory.
Released online on September 4, 2008, the Dell Inspiron 910 (more commonly referred to as the Inspiron Mini 9) is an 8.9" netbook that weighs 2.28 lbs. It is Dell's first netbook. It was retired on May 29, 2009.[9]
Released online on October 16, 2008, the Dell Inspiron 1210 (more commonly referred to as the Inspiron Mini 12) is a 12.1" netbook that weighs 2.72 lbs. The netbook originally shipped with Windows Vista Home Basic SP1 32-bit, but an option for XP Home SP3 32-bit was added a month later. It was criticized for being slow with Vista. It was retired on August 7, 2009.
Released on June 26, 2006, the Dell Inspiron 530 is Dell's first desktop to use the Inspiron name. The Inspiron 530 has an Intel Celeron 450, and can be customized up to an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550. It has 2 GB of DDR2 SDRAM at 800 MHz, which can be upgraded up to 8 GB (4gb for systems shipped with core 2 duo processors and g33m02 motherboards, and 8gb for systems shipped with core 2 quad processors and g33m03 motherboards - noted in the system documentation found on http://support.dell.com). The desktop has a 320 GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA hard drive w/DataBurst Cache, which can be upgraded to 750 GB. There are also data recovery versions of the 320 and 500 GB hard drive sizes. The Inspiron 530 is customizable with a variety of DVD+/-RW and Blu-ray Disc drives. The Inspiron 530 has integrated Intel GMA 3100, and can be customized up to an ATI Radeon HD 4670 discrete graphics card. It has integrated 7.1 channel audio and can be customized up to a Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer sound card. The Inspiron 530 has no initial Wi-Fi card, but can be customized up to a Dell 1505 Wireless-N PCI-e card. The Inspiron 530 has two variants of motherboards, both made by Foxconn and based on the G33M series. The G33M02 which supports up to Core 2 Duo processors and the DG33M03, which supports up to Core 2 Quad processors. Inspiron 530 systems sold with Pentium Dual-Core or Core 2 Duo processors can not be upgraded to Core 2 Quad processors without adding at least a 350W power supply and swapping motherboards to the DG33M03 motherboard. The reason the G33M02 doesn't support Core 2 Quad processors is because it only has 6 voltage regulator ICs, the DG33M03 has 11.
The Inspiron 530s has the same design as the 530, but it is 41% slimmer. However, because of its design, it is not physically compatible with all desktop hardware, especially graphics cards (Dell only gives you the option of the ATI 2400 XT, which is not a high performance card). The case used in the 530s can accommodate one 5.25" optical drive, one external 3.5" drive (either a 1.44 MB floppy or 19-in-1 card reader), and up to two standard 3.5" hard drives. The motherboard used in the 530s is almost identical to the motherboard used in the 530 edition, except for the fact that this motherboard only supports Dual Core processors, and not any members of the Quad Core series like its twin. While almost any low profile PCI-E x16 video card will physically fit in the 530s, the custom sized Delta 250W power supply that the 530s is equipped with may seriously limit the potential for using higher end cards.
The Dell Inspiron 531 is Dell's AMD desktop counterpart to the Inspiron 530, and with exception of the CPU and motherboard, is virtually identical. Starting with the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ it can be customized up to an AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+. The Athlon X2 7000, Phenom, Phenom II and Athlon II series are not supported. It uses 1 GB of DDR2 SDRAM at 667 MHz, which can be upgraded up to 8 GB 800 MHz under JEDEC DDR2 voltage specification. The model features the M2N61-AX OEM motherboard made by ASUS [10] and uses nVidia GeForce 6150 integrated graphics with the nForce 430i chipset, and has two PCI slots, one PCI-e X1 and one PCI-e X16 1.0a slot. Due to the arrangement of the expansion slots, however, use of a double height video card renders the PCI-e X1 slot useless. The motherboard also features four SATA 1.0 Ports, one EIDE (floppy) plug, three USB plugs for front USB, a Firewire plug, and a front audio plug. Cooling is somewhat limited, as the motherboard only provides one 4-pin PWM CPU fan plug, and one 3-pin rear fan plug. Installation of a fan controller will be required to use additional fans. Recently, the 6.05 version of nVidia's System Performance Tools allows minor FSB overclocking, but does not allow voltage or multiplier adjustments, limiting overclocking potential. The case is Micro-ATX sized, lightweight aluminum and features one 92 mm Rear fan, one external 3-1/2" drive bay, two 5-1/4" bays and two vertical 3-1/2" internal drive bays. It also features a standard ATX sized 300 watt power supply with four SATA plugs, one 24-pin ATX12V 2.0 plug and one 4-pin P4 plug, oddly excluding any standard 4-pin Molex connectors. The I/O Shield is also part of the case, preventing the installation of third-party motherboards without modifications to the case.
Released on Dell's website on May 12, 2009 the Inspiron 537 is a mini-tower desktop that replaces the Inspiron 530. The desktop has a black chassis, but the front shell can be customized with one of eight colors. Oddly, this model was replaced by the Inspiron 546, which uses AMD processors, after being available online for less than one month.[11]
A higher end version of the Inspiron 530/531. Memory was upgradeable to 8 GB.
The Inspiron 560, 570 and 620 models were Dell's most current Inspiron PC desktop models as of 2011. [12]
Laptops:
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In the past Dell has modified some existing Inspiron machines to produce computers of higher or lower quality. Note for example the first-generation Inspiron XPS and Inspiron 9100 (2004–2006). Both machines (non-base) shared the same options in processors (Intel Pentium 4 HT "Prescott"), RAM (DDR 400 MHz), hard-drives (Ultra-ATA 5400/7200 RPM), wireless cards, LCD screens (at 15.4-inches; WXGA, WSXGA+, WUXGA) and graphics cards (ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 64 MB/128 MB), as well as the same chassis. Dell marketed the XPS as an "ultimate gaming machine", while marketing the 9100 as a "desktop replacement". The Inspiron 9100 is a rebadged XPS; the only difference between the two is the LCD Panel. Although both support a 15.4 Samsung LCD, only later models of the 9100 (3.2 GHz) use the identical LCD screen (Dell Part #s 7T774/W3866). The Samsung LCD Panel supports 1920x1200. Previous 2.8-3.0 GHz Inspiron 9100 use a lesser panel with resolutions of 1280x800 (Dell Part # Y0316).
Reference: Dell's Official statement: the Lundell Settlement. Dell Inspiron 5150 only
In 2003, Dell released several lines of Inspiron notebooks which had cooling problems, causing them to overheat and damage the video card and motherboard, or to shut down automatically. Overheating in Inspiron systems is mainly caused by performance-consuming tasks and software. This problem was determined to be due to the design of the air-flow from the bottom of the system. Affected models include the Dell Inspiron 1100, 1150, 5100 and 5150. For more information on the 5100/5150 models in particular, see the following link: Dell Inspiron 5100 Overheating Problem.
Dell acknowledged this problem and designed a new fan with a better heatsink and heatpipes to provide better cooling with less noise. Any repairs made at this point will include the redesigned parts.
A Windows utility exists to control most Inspiron fans based on CPU temperature. Users should check the compatibility list before installing it.
On September 20 Inspiron 5150 owners in the US brought a class action against Dell. The settlement included 100% cash reimbursement for certain repairs, and an extended limited warranty to cover those types of repairs that become necessary for one year. Dell's published statement of the scope of the repairs covered appears here.
Following the lawsuit detailed above, in October 2006 customers who had purchased Dell Inspiron 1100, 1150, 5100 and 5160 notebooks filed a class action lawsuit against Dell, alleging misconduct in connection with the design, manufacture, warranting, advertising and selling of these computers. A similar action started in Canada.[13]
The overheating problem on the Inspiron 5150 was due to the position of the fan and fan-vent and the way in which it vents air through the CPU's heatsink. The fan draws air from underneath the unit and vents it through the rear after passing over the heatsink. However, the unit also sucks up dust from underneath it. Over time a build-up of dust obstructs the airflow, diminishing it perceptibly and reducing cooling; a simple test is to place a hand near the fan vent; when the fan is running at high speed there should be a good flow of warm air. Heat will also build up along the top of the unit near the LCD display and left toward the optical drive. Users may notice this while typing. Performance may also suffer, with jittery game movement and slow Windows performance. Some systems may experience jerky reactions where the unit goes into an almost slow-motion phase for short periods of time. Continued operation in this condition may lead to overheating and could result in permanent damage to the computer. To remedy this the unit must be disassembled, the dust removed, and fan operation checked. An overheating machine commonly has a CPU running 15 to 20°C hotter than a normally functioning unit; a higher increase may damage the casing of the unit.
Overheating has been reduced by using compressed air duster spray. Spraying the keyboard, the Microprocessor Thermal-Cooling Assembly is located under the "I" - "backspace" keys, and side air intakes, located on the far right and left sides, has been effective in reducing the running temperature from a normal operating temperature of 77-87°C to 45-55°C under average load.
Alternately some users of the Inspiron 5150 found relief by underclocking their processors.
See the following links: * Inspiron 5150 overheating problems - what to do.... * How to fix Inspiron 5150 *Removing the Microprocessor Thermal-Cooling Assembly and Useful images
On a number of Inspiron 5150, and 100L machines, a design flaw in the positioning of a tab on the C panel on the underside of the laptop has led to problems. Any pressure applied to the top left hand corner of the laptop causes this tab to press against the motherboard and in particular against the "LVC14A" chip. This causes the solder between this chip and the motherboard to break. This causes sudden shut-downs of the system as a result of any movement of the laptop; in certain cases the laptop will not re-boot at all. Dell has redesigned later models of the 5150 to avoid this problem. Some models reveal cases where someone has manually snapped off the tab from the C panel by hand during the manufacturing process. Dell currently[update] covers this fault in the USA under the Lundell Settlement, although it is not known whether Dell will fix this fault free of charge outside the USA. In January 2007 a similar lawsuit started in Canada, and Dell in the Netherlands has agreed to repair Dutch computers following criticism in the consumer programme Kassa.[14]
This has also been a problem with the Inspiron 1150, with the same chip giving problems with broken solder. Re-soldering is not recommended, but re-heating the pins can re-establish the connection and solve the power-off problem at the expense of possibly losing the use of the touch-pad mouse.
Dell posted notices to many of their laptop customers on August 14, 2006, saying that the Sony batteries on the following models could combust, or even explode:[15][16]
Latitude: D410, D500, D505, D510, D520, D600, D610, D620, D800, D810
Inspiron: 6000, 6400, 8500, 8600, 9100, 9200, 9300, 500m, 510m, 600m, 6400, E1505, 700m, 710m, 9400, E1705
XPS: XPS, XPS Gen2, XPS M170, XPS M1710
Precision: M20, M60, M70, M90
Users of many of these computers purchased between April 2004 and July 18, 2006 received the recommendation that they should remove the batteries and run their computers on AC power until replacements arrived.[17] Problematic batteries made by Sony led to recall programs at other laptop computer companies as well, including Hitachi, Toshiba, Lenovo (IBM) and Apple.
Most Dell laptop computers have a special external power supply (PSU) which cannot be replaced by a third-party universal supply. The PSU has a chip which produces a special signal identifying the PSU as by Dell and specifying its power, and a special 3-pin connector (minus, plus, and ID). If a power supply not made by Dell is used, and the cable near the connector becomes damaged as is not infrequent after some use, the battery stops charging and the CPU runs slower, although the computer can be used indefinitely so long as it remains plugged in. If this problem is present at startup the message "The AC power adapter type cannot be determined. Your system will operate slower and the battery will not charge" is displayed. This will continue until the external PSU is replaced. A few third-party suppliers make power supplies with specific provision for Dell computers at lower prices than Dell's. It is possible to work round the slowdown, but not the battery charging, by installing a CPU clock utility.[18] On some models (the 9100 for instance), the problem can be worked around by starting the computer without a battery installed and fitting the battery after the computer has booted.
Another problem arises after much use with the motherboard power connector; springy metal parts which contact the outside of the plug lose their springiness and fail to make contact so that power does not reach the computer. The "official" solution is to replace the connector on the motherboard, which requires partial disassembly of the computer and unsoldering of a part with several pins; many companies charge a considerable sum for the work involved. Various simple alternatives have been suggested; for example a thin "skin" of solder on the outside of the barrel of the connector on the PSU (with care not to overheat the connector's plastic parts; and this thickened connector should not be used with other, not faulty, Dells as it will stretch the springs).
One other problem can happen with the wattage rating of the power supply. There are 2 Dell power supplies that were used for different Inspiron models which have the same plug assembly and voltage, a 65 watt supply model PA-6 and a 90 watt supply model PA-9. Some models for example the Inspiron 1100 shipped with a PA-9. If a PA-6 (or equivalent aftermarket supply) is used in these models then the system will sometimes boot and sometimes not boot. If it does not boot then it will light the battery light for a few seconds when the supply is plugged in. This can also happen if the power supply becomes marginal. Marginal supplies can show as supplying full voltage even if tested with a volt meter while the supply is plugged into the computer and an attempt is made to turn on the computer.
These problems are discussed in detail, and solutions and workarounds suggested, in a discussion on the Tom's hardware site.[19]
A problem exists with the hibernation sensor located in some older laptops. Unlike many laptops that use a mechanical switch to detect when the lid is closed, in these systems the sensor is a magnetic reed switch that is located between the touchpad and the front edge of the laptop. There is a magnet that is located in the top lid above this switch, and when the lid is closed the magnet triggers the reed switch. If the magnet loses strength then the system will not go into suspend or hibernation if the lid is closed. The magnet strength can be checked by running a paper clip along the top edge of the screen. A worse problem happens if the reed switch fails. Sometimes the switches will fail in a closed position with the contacts sticking together. In that case the system will not switch on. There are several ways to check for this. First the laptop can be partially disassembled and the mouse assembly can be unplugged from the system board and the system switched on. If the system boots with the mouse unplugged then it is the switch. Another way to check for the problem is by running a magnet over the reed switch, there should be a faint click when the magnet triggers the switch. This does not require disassembly but the magnet must be in the correct position and be strong enough. Some people have repaired this by cutting the switch off of the assembly, with the downside being the system will no longer suspend if the lid is closed.
Some 17" Inspiron 8600, 9200, 9300, 6000, 1750, and XPS Gen 2 notebook LCDs have a vertical line manufacturing defect. Symptoms range from individual lines to entire bars of the screen with inverted colors. Most problems showed after 2–4 years of usage. Dell has been very reluctant to replace these panels after guarantee, although there was a direct link to the defective parts from their suppliers. Even warranty customers have had difficulties to get replacement, and replaced screens often develop the defect after a short time. [2] Other computer manufacturers have handled similar problems in ways more satisfactory to the customer. Reference: [3] [4] [5][6]
Dell's Home Office/Consumer class product lines:
Dell Business/Corporate class product lines:
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